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Jackie Smith

HEADLINER: Kyle Crawford

October 136:30 pm - 11 pm

Norwood Elks 152 Winslow Ave,Norwood, MA 02062

Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door...get yours today!

⬇️Link for Tickets ⬇️

Join us for an incredible night of laughs! We are excited to announce Mike Koutrobiswill be headlining at our “Bark & Laugh along for Aurora” Fundraiser on Saturday, October 13th.

Service dog keeps Foxboro owner’s anxiety at bay

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Emma Carroll, 26, has been fighting depression and anxiety as long as she can remember.

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But now Carroll, who has been diagnosed with a variety of anxiety disorders, is getting help in calming her moods and getting advance warnings of panic attacks from an unusual source — her golden retriever service dog Aurora.

The now 11-month-old golden, provided by a Norwood-based service dog organization and funded partly by a $2,500 donation from the Partners In Patriotism Fund, is constantly at Carroll’s side and is trained to detect clues to her owner’s mood swings.

Aurora is trained to detect clues to behavior changes, like her owner beginning to fidget or twirl her hair. Carroll said a nudge from Aurora could tip her off that it’s time to take her meds or to withdraw from a stressful situation.

Carroll’s newfound friend has only just begun her extensive training as a service dog, a process that will ultimately cost about $35,000. A fund page has been started to help with the cost.

“Since I was 16, I have always had a job,” Carroll said. “But after an injury in 2016 I couldn’t return to work and because of these illnesses, I haven’t been able to look for work. I have also had to take a leave of absence from school.” She has just started working this April, and her company is happy to have Aurora accompany her. She has also beginning night courses in September to complete her second degree.

While Carroll has been prescribed a number of medications to combat her ailments, she doesn’t see them as a complete solution. “I don’t want to have to rely on medications to live a normal life,” she said. “The bottom line is I want my life back.”

Carroll turned to Golden Opportunities for Independence, a nonprofit that trains and pairs service dogs with people suffering from disabilities.

The Foxboro woman said Aurora is a combination of a best friend and daily helper who gives her hope and keeps her moving forward.

“She has given me the strength and independence I have been so desperately in search of,” she said.